The Pittsburgh Steelers are increasingly looking like the clear victors of the summer trade that sent offensive tackle Broderick Jones to the Dallas Cowboys. What initially appeared to be a surprising personnel shift has steadily transformed into a beneficial transaction for Pittsburgh, while the player’s fortunes in Dallas have largely stalled through the first seven weeks of the NFL season.
Jones entered Pittsburgh’s training camp earlier this year looking to lock down a starting role, but that competition quickly fell apart. As camp progressed, he found himself fighting simply to make the Steelers roster before ultimately coming up short. Recognizing that the former first-round selection was not panning out as hoped, the franchise opted to move on from what many viewed as the first major roster misstep of the Omar Khan era.
The trade terms ultimately favored the Steelers, who secured a third-round selection and a sixth-round pick in 2027 in exchange for Jones and a 2027 fourth-round selection. Given that Jones struggled with a nagging neck injury and battled difficulties maintaining a higher playing weight throughout his tenure, the return proved to be a practical salvage operation for a player who might otherwise have been released outright.
Dallas acquired Jones with the hope of unlocking his raw athleticism and developing his potential in a fresh environment. However, the early returns mirror the concerns that prompted Pittsburgh to part ways with him. Jones has failed to start a single game for the Cowboys this season, spending most of his time on the sidelines waiting for an opportunity. While he has occasionally seen action as an extra offensive lineman in specific offensive packages, that limited usage falls well short of what the team likely anticipated when they brought him in via trade.
Meanwhile, the Steelers have suffered no apparent remorse for shipping the struggling lineman out of town. The emergence of Dylan Cook as the team’s swing tackle further cemented the decision to move on from Jones, highlighting that his inability to click in Pittsburgh extended beyond mere coaching or developmental challenges. Hindsight suggests that his high draft pedigree never fully matched his on-field production at the professional level.
With seven weeks of the NFL season now in the books, the Cowboys feature several former Steelers acquired via trade who have experienced varying degrees of success, but Jones is not among them. Unless injuries strike the Dallas offensive line, avenues for him to earn a starting job appear exceedingly narrow. As things stand, the trade has provided Pittsburgh with valuable draft capital while leaving Jones fighting to establish a long-term future in the league.
